The present invention relates to improvements in flow roller machines where metal workpieces are cold worked rotationally by the application of cold working pressure by compression rollers.
The invention is directed to a flow-roller machine which includes a machine frame, a rotatable spindle, a rotary drive for the spindle, a compression tool attached to a face end of the spindle, an axially displaceable pressure pad aligning with the spindle for a workpiece put in place on the compression tool, and at least two rotatable compression rollers that, guided in the machine frame, can be advanced in the radial direction of the spindle.
Flow-roller machines of the this type are known and are widely utilized for cold-working of metallic workpieces. In standard flow-roller machines, one or more compression rollers are held at guides that allow both a displacement of the compression rollers in radial direction of the compression tool as well as in axial direction of the compression tool for the implementation of the flow-rolling process. The spindle is only rotatable but is non-dislocatably seated in axial direction.
What is considered disadvantageous in such a known flow-roller machine is that the placement of a workpiece blank to be worked onto the compression tool before the flow-rolling process and the removal of the completely worked workpiece from the compression tool at the end of the flow-rolling process are relatively complicated. This is true because the workpiece blank, when being put in placeand the finished workpiece, and when being removed, must respectively execute a compound motion both in radial direction of the compression tool as well as in axial direction of the compression tool. An automatic loading of the flow-roller machine thereby becomes technologically complicated and also requires a relatively long time, this reducing the productivity of the flow-roller machine.
An object of the invention is to provide a flow-roller machine wherein the placement of a workpiece blank onto the compression tool and the removal of the completely worked workpiece from the compression tool can be implemented more simply and in a shorter time, and whereby a high product quality is assured.
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved flow-roller machine which avoids disadvantages of structures heretofore available and provides a mechanism capable of producing improved workpieces. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved flow-roller machine wherein more accurate installation of the workpiece and the flow-rolling process can be achieved by a unique measuring arrangement for placement of the compression rollers.